Built on the Bioshock Infinite engine, our return to Rapture is one created with great attention to detail but also more than a few shortcuts.

Gameplay

8/10

The gameplay is a mix of the stealth and resource management style of the original Bioshock and the more shoot-happy Infinite. This is DLC made for fans and they're going to enjoy it more than anyone else.

Lasting Appeal

2/10

The cliffhanger at the end of episode one is sure to make you interested in coming back for the finale early next year, but the absurdly short length makes it hard to become invested in the world of Rapture this go-round even if the characters are still as likable as ever (well, mostly).

Overall

7/10

It's wonderfully detailed and put together as ever, but thanks to some bit too familiar source material and an absurdly short length, it's hard to recommend Burial at Sea to anyone but the series' biggest fans.

CHEATfactor

9/10

Note: It's nearly impossible to talk about Bioshock Infinite: Burial at Sea without talking about spoilers for the original game. If you haven't finished it yet, you have been warned.

The ending for Bioshock Infinite left endless possibilities for the future of the series. The way the story connected the events of the game with the mythology of the long running series left a lot of people guessing where Irrational Games was going to go next. Turns out, they went back to the well - literally. With all of the possibilities established, Bioshock Infinite's first expansion went back to the setting for the first two games, the underwater City of Rapture and the results are mixed at best. Fans of the series will love the way that the game mixes gameplay elements of both the original Bioshock and Infinite but a short length and some confusing story beats make for an experience that's hard to recommend to anyone else.

"...unfortunately it doesn't last that long."

To be fair, this isn't just a recycled Rapture map, Burial at Sea takes place before the submerged utopia fell into hard times. The story revolves around an older, more gruff Elizabeth hiring private eye Booker Dewitt to track down a little girl named Sally. The first half hour of the game finds you walking through Raputre in its heyday and for long time fans of the series, it's instantly rewarding. References to the original game and a few of its characters pop-up and are a nice little treat but unfortunately it doesn't last that long. Just as you're starting to explore the world, you're transported to a different part of Rapture, one that's already fallen on hard times, one that already looks like the Bioshock games you've already experienced.

Don't get me wrong, as a huge fan of the Bioshock games, I was interested in seeing how Rapture fits into the story of Infinite (especially after the ending) but I was more interested in exploring the dynamically interesting world of Columbia more. After the disappointing Bioshock 2, everyone wanted to see a new setting and now everyone wants to go back to Rapture? I may sound like a fan-boy here, but there were so many interesting characters left to explore in the world of Bioshock Infinite, and it seems like a bit of a waste to go back to Rapture so quickly, maybe the second chapter will address that a bit.

Much like Infinite proper, Burial at Sea ends like a sucker-punch that is sure to make everyone interested in coming back for the next episode. The problem is though that this go-round, you're expecting the twist to come at the end so rather than becoming engrossed in the story and letting it happen, you're constantly looking for clues and trying to figure out what's going to happen. It's sort of like watching an M. Night Shyamalan movie after The Sixth Sense. You know the twist is coming and you're missing important story beats trying to figure out what it is.

"Health, ammo and money is much more scarce..."

Gameplay wise, Burial at Sea is a mix of the stealthy, resource management driven style of the original Bioshock and the more action-heavy style of Infinite. Health, ammo and money is much more scarce than it was in Infinite and you're likely to find yourself caught with nothing more than your air-grabber (the Rapture version of Infinite's skyhook) and there are moments where the game channels the spirit of the original with serious eerie moments and some quality scares. The whole thing cultivates in a battle with the Big Daddy that is sure to make a lot of fanboys happy.

The biggest thing Burial at Sea has going against it is how short Chapter one truly is. If you play the game at even a normal pace, you're likely to finish it in under three hours. Sure, there are audiologs to collect and they take a good amount of time, the core experience is so short that it never seems to get enough time to explain or truly explore its own story beats. Episode 2 is likely to be a bit longer, but Episode 1 could have used a lot more time to develop itself.

With Burial at Sea, Irrational Games creates an interesting new look at world that many series fans thought they knew. It harkens back to the days of the original Bioshock and attempts some lofty goals, but it's debatable whether its successful in obtaining them or not. It's wonderfully detailed and put together as ever, but thanks to some bit too familiar source material and an absurdly short length, it's hard to recommend Bioshock Infinite: Burial at Sea to anyone but the series' biggest fans.

Note, the original trainer for Bioshock Infinite works for Burial at Sea: Episode 1 - below is the original trainer review, just replace Columbia with Raputre:

The citizens of Columbia will stop at nothing to make sure Elizabeth - their lamb is kept in their city. Why not even the odds with the trainer from Cheat Happens?

You'll have unlimited health, shields and ammo along with an Infinite supply of salts to keep your vigors fresh.

What's best about the trainer is that it includes the same cheats you'd expect from a trainer for a shooter, but also thanks to options like adding lockpicks and super jump, you're able to explore some of Columbia's more hidden areas with more ease, and eliminate some of the backtracking.